Hotel Spotlight: The Thief Oslo, Norway

Before you even enter The Thief Hotel & Spa in Oslo, Norway you know you’re about to step into something special.

The hotel is located between the iconic Astrup Fearnley Museum, the canals on Tjuvholmen and the Oslofjord, surrounded by the harbor.

When you cross over the canal bridges, the ocean breeze welcomes you as you approach the building, the Oslo Opera House off in the distance across the water.

The neighborhood is an eclectic mix of charming brick buildings and bold modern windows. Restaurants with large outdoor patios, complete with thick wool blankets to cozy up in, line the harbor serving as a velvet rope leading you to your destination.

The Thief Hotel is refined, playful, artistic and elegant but doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s the definition of cozy.

A bronze statue bows before you as you enter. An art sculpture of a cat balloon greets you.

Bronze velvet chairs meet an oversized cowboy riding a horse. Elegant, iconic yet casual. The color scheme is classic and neutral, yet bold, selecting bronze velvet over tan. Gold accents can be found on everything, and they have no fear of mixing metals.

Our room is intimate. A plush king size bed, seating area, desk, floor to ceiling windows, and a Nespresso coffee/espresso machine welcome us after a long day of train travel from Bergen to Oslo.

After hiking Preikestolen then a road trip through the Fjords, we immediately head to the Spa for a swim and relaxation.

We’re greeted with towels and pool/sauna robes to change into. We head back to the pool where we’re offered tea. I choose lemon detox.

The pool room is dark with black tile and dark wood. Blue and green lights illuminate the pool, mimicking the Northern Lights. (Star) lights twinkle overhead. Then we finish off with a trip to the sauna.

Entrance to the thief spa

Entrance to the thief spa

Image via   The Thief

Image via The Thief

I did not take pictures in The Spa out of respect and privacy for other patrons. Picture of inside The Spa are from The Thief Hotel.

We use the pool, sauna, steam room and gym several times through out our stay. It’s just too good not to take advantage of.

At The Spa you can also get additional services like a massage, facial, body wrap or Rhassoul. The Thief Rassoul is a Moroccan tradition named after the volcanic mud which is taken from the foot of the Atlas Mountains and whose therapeutic effects are known far and wide. The mud is 100% organic and has a cleansing, exfoliating, healing and softening effect on your skin.

What’s the next natural progression of our stay here? Cocktails of course!

We head to the rooftop bar first. It’s May and the weather is unseasonably warm so the rooftop is buzzing with patrons. We take the last two seats available and order drinks.

I order my go-to cocktail; an Old Fashioned, my friend gets a beer. We cozy up in the lounge area of the rooftop on large armchairs with big blue pillows, gazing out over the city and harbor.

The bar located on the first floor is also not to be missed. It’s bold, thoughtful, and theatrical in design, lending its hand to the theme: movies.

Each cocktail is named after a major motion picture, it’s presentation matches.

I ordered 7 Years in Tibet. A cocktail of Lagavulin 8yo, Frangelico, White Cacao,  Lemon, and Tibetian Tea, served in a jade ceramic bowl complete with fiery embers.

Sapphire & Elm Travel co-founder,   Stephanie  , sipping a cocktail at the thief hotel in oslo

Sapphire & Elm Travel co-founder, Stephanie, sipping a cocktail at the thief hotel in oslo

My friend orders the Inception, a vodka and Aquavit cocktail served in a traditional glass that very untraditionally floats about the surface like magic.

The drink floats above the surface, image via   The Thief

The drink floats above the surface, image via The Thief

But perhaps my favorite memories of The Thief was the pure magic of the breakfast buffet. It’s size and assortment of homemade favorites like nutella, organic jams in four flavors, mustard, and smoothies are a real delight.

My mouth watered through every bite. We had to try everything, with no luck because it seems the Thief serves everything but the kitchen sink for their breakfast buffet.

There were half a dozen types of fruit and freshly baked breads, croissants, scones, and pastries, meats ranging from salami to salmon, homemade yogurt and smoothies.

An assortment of rainbow veggie options to pile on bread or eggs or create a salad, accompanied by homemade pickled onions and cornichons gave breakfast a brunch feel. The cherry on top was shots of beet + orange juice, and carrot + ginger. My favorite! Not to mention pancakes, perfectly fried eggs, and potatoes, complete with an order up bar where they made to order omelets and eggs benedict. I mean, after a while it gets ridiculous. Too…. damn….. good….

It’s clear that The Thief hotel in Oslo, Norway is proud of it’s excellent reputation.

They exude service, elegance, and comfort in everything that they do.

The hotel has made a name for itself to Norwegians. When I told my friends living and studying in Bergen that I was staying here, envy was the consistent reaction.

The Thief deserves to be a household name worldwide.

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